LAGUNITAS APPRECIATION NIGHT

Monday night I was invited to Mohawk House for a very special brewery night. Although, this was no ordinary brewery night. This was a night of gratuity and thanks for the local restaurant and bar owner’s of New Jersey. The thanks comes from Lagunitas Brewing Company,Â Petaluma California and what better way to say thank you than throw an all night cocktail party with fresh west coast beer and amazing appetizers.

The crowd that came out is a perfect representation of the Lagunitas tagline “Beer Speaks, People Mumble.” There were over 200 people who showed up, all supporting one of Americas’ greatest craft breweries.

Â 7 kegs of Lagunitas best were tapped for the festivities.

Â The staff was already in the swing of things with some eye catching stickers.

Â VIP pass for free beer.

Featured beers for the evening.

Â I started with a Pils. I am very familar with the Lagunitas brand but this is the one beer we get around here that hasn’t graced my palate. It was amazing to say the least, truely a style meant to be enjoyed fresh.

Crisp and hoppy, rounded out with some malty sweetness. An easy drinking brew for sure.

Â Good lacing too.

Â I love their tap handles!

Â The Lucky 13th Alt tap handle had to be the most eye catching.

Â Steve recently had this sign made to represent the restaurants excellent draft selection.

Â Before I could even realize it, the bar was bum rushed with people looking for a fresh pint of Lagunitas.

Â Keeping the crowd entertained for the evening was The Hollow. Awesome local band playing some amazing covers throughout the night.

Â James Vidale, the bands singer, was in good beer spirits wearing his Duff beer shirt.

In the kitchen Chef Stefan was preparing the nights h’ordeuvres. Here he’s putting together some spiced pork belly tacos with apple and savoy cabbage with a truffle vinaigrette

Bacon and onion liverwurst gougeres with Hop Stoopid jello

Â Bacon and goat cheese brioche sandwiches

Â Spiced pork belly and egg vinaigrette

Peanut Butter stuffed dates wrapped with bacon

5 Spoke Creamery cheddar with figs and chocolate & oat cracker

Sweet potato danish

Â While I was back in the kitchen I spotted one of the staff rocking a Lagunitas shirt

Â It was about time for me to have another beer and I couldnt really decide. Do I get Undercover Shutdown? How about a Pale Ale?

Â Being the hop head I am, it wasn’t hard to settle with the IPA.

Â The man behind the event, Trevor Jankowski, other wise known as the Lagunitas East Coast Consigliere.

It seems as if the dog on the mason jar was a little sad I was nearing the end of my beer. I would have love to keep refilling it but my night was cut short because of my dreaded day job.

I would like to thank Rachel and Steve for inviting me up for the event and a huge thanks to Hunterdon distribution and Trevor from Lagunitas for putting on this spectacular event. I would like to see more of this from other breweries in the future. It is a good way to give back to the people, further spreading the love of craft beer to the masses.